Today I learned something fun about Christmas colors — and now I can’t unsee it!
For as long as I can remember, red and green have felt like the “official” colors of Christmas. But today, as I sipped my morning coffee and let the season sink in, I learned that these colors weren’t always tied to Christmas the way they are now.
It actually started with holly plants.
Ancient Celts believed holly symbolized eternal life because it stayed green all winter. Later, holly became connected to Christmas — the red berries representing joy, and the deep green leaves symbolizing everlasting life.
But here’s the twist I didn’t know…
Coca-Cola played a huge role in cementing these colors into Christmas culture. In the 1930s, their holiday ads featured Santa in a bright red suit set against rich green backgrounds. Before then, Santa’s outfit wasn’t always red — sometimes it was blue, tan, or even brown!
Those Coca-Cola images were printed everywhere — magazines, holiday displays, posters — and they shaped what we think Christmas “should” look like.
So today I learned that the colors we hang on wreaths, bows, and ornaments come from a blend of ancient symbolism and modern marketing magic.
And somehow, that makes my Christmas décor feel even more meaningful this year.
